Ukaa/ Ukaay, which is also called Uvaa/ Uvaay is a name in Tamil for two species of trees.

In one meaning, the name stands for Salvadora persica, a shrub-like evergreen tree of the arid coastal tracts, and in the other, it stands for Dillenia indica, a timber tree bearing an edible fruit called Elephant Apple (Dravidian Etymological Dictionary 560)

Uvaay or Ukaay, in its first meaning Salvadora persica, was also known as Oamai in the Changkam Tamil classics. The tree, in Changkam Tamil references, was invariably associated with Paalai Nilam or the arid tract.

Pingkalam Lexicon of 10th century CE equates Ukaay with Oamai. The Dravidian etymology of both the terms could be traced to a conspicuous attribute of the tree – its drooping foliage. (Uku: To fall down, Tamil, DED 562; Umung, Umboo, Ombaa and Umgre: To fall, prostrate, turn down, bow, in Kui, Kurux and Malto, DED 641)

In the Changkam literary references, the tree is described as a short-stemmed, white- barked shrub of delicate branches, bearing reddish bead-like fruits that turn into black when ripe. The seeds of the fruits are compared to pepper in taste. Wild elephants favoured the tree for its foliage and bark.

The attributes tally well with Salvadora persica found mostly in the arid coastal tracts of the island, especially in the Mannaar district, where the tree is called Uvaay.

The Sinhala name of the tree is Maalittang (a term comparing the tree with another tree called Tang bearing fruits similar to S. persica, and differentiating it by its Maala/ garland-like foliage).

Salvadora persica, also botanically known as Salvadora indica, is commonly called in English as the Toothbrush Tree, for its mouth-refreshing, soft fibrous twigs were long used as toothbrush in West Asia. The tree has references in this regard in the Hadith of Islam.

All parts of the tree are used in native medical systems in treating a range of ailments. The properties of the tree are especially recognized in the products meant for oral health, from the fibre in making toothbrushes to root oil in toothpastes. In this respect the tree has gained special recognition from the WHO.

The tree is also considered economically a boon to the development of arid, coastal, saline, wastelands. Its evergreen foliage provides nutritious fodder for cattle and wood is used for fuel. The fruits are sweet and edible. The seed oil, recognised for its skin treatment qualities, is considered a good substitute for coconut oil in the soap industry.

Today, the distribution of Uvaay tree in the island is restricted only to some coastal pockets. Maanthai in Mannaar is one place where it could be found in plenty as natural vegetation.

There is a belief that the tree was brought to South Asia by West Asians in the medieval times as fodder for horses and camels. But the wide references in the Changkam Tamil literature show that the tree was already a part of the natural vegetation even in the remote arid jungles, by the dawn of the Common Era, if not earlier.

See the following examples cited from the Changkam classics:

* * *

Ukaa as a short, white-stemmed arid tract tree:

“Pu’ravup pu'raththanna pun kaal ukaa” (Ku’runthokai 274: 1-2)

“புறவுப் புறத்தன்ன புன் கால் உகா” (குறுந்தொகை 274: 1-2)

The short-stem of Ukaa (coloured) like the back of a dove (the poem comes in the context of arid tract/ Paalai Nilam)

Ukaay as an arid tract tree:

“Pul arai ukaa-ay vari nizhal” (Ku’runthokai 363: 4)

“புல் அரை உகா-அய் வரி நிழல்” (குறுந்தொகை 363: 4)

The (leaf-bereft) line-shade of the Ukaay tree of stunted stem (the poem comes in the context of arid tract)

The Ukaay tree, from its delicate branches, would drop black ripe fruits resembling dark beads, which have matured from their unripe stage of resembling the (red) colour of the eyes of a Koel (Indian Cuckoo).

The trail of the arid tract, where, perched on the swaying dry branch of the wind-fighting, rugged-bottomed, Oamai tree – the bark of which had been eaten by wild elephants – a dove of lonely voice would call its female

The other tree called as Ukaa or Uvaa/ Uvaay/ Uvaa-theakku in Tamil is Dillenia indica, the common English name for which is Elephant Apple or Sandpaper Tree (Dravidian Etymological Dictionary 560).

This is a timber tree bearing large fragrant flowers and peculiar-shaped fruits.

The etymology of the Tamil term could be traced to the hoof-like shape of the fruit or the claws-like pulp of it.

Ukir in Tamil means both a hoof and a claw (DED 561).

However, early literary references in Tamil, for the name Ukaa standing for a tree of the attributes of Dillenia indica could not be traced.

The tree is called Uka-maram in Malayalam and Uva or Uvva in Telugu.

The Sinhala name of the tree is Wam-para or Honda-para. The terms compare and differentiate the tree from another popular tree known in Sinhala as Para.

Both the sepals and core pulp of the fruits of the tree, tasting sour, are edible.

The juice of the fruit is used in the preparation of cough mixture; leaves and bark have medicinal properties; pulp of the fruit is used in making shampoo and the timber is valued in house construction and in ship-building (Lim T.K., Edible Medicinal and Non –Medicinal Plants Vol 2, Fruits, pp 410-415)

* * *

The phrase Vaayk-kaal, meaning an irrigation canal, channel or flood outlet in Tamil, is a common component in the Eezham Tamil locality names.

As both the Tamil words, Vaay and Kaal mean the same, in some usages the phrasing becomes Kaal-vaay. However, there is a subtle difference in the usage of the phrases. Kaal-vaay is normally used in the context of a large canal, whether for irrigation or for navigation. Vaayk-kaal is usually smaller in scale, ranging from irrigation canals and channels to drains and flood outlets.

The Dravidian etymology of both the terms, Vaay and Kaal are given in the table.

The word Kaal has a cognate Khalla in Sanskrit and Khaalla in Prakrit, meaning a canal, creek or trench.

But Kaal, in its shades of meaning in Tamil, has cognates in several Dravidian languages. The word in Dravidian, meaning from leg, wind, wheel, pace and course to a canal has clear etymological connections. Hence the cognates in Sanskrit and Prakrit meaning a canal have to be taken as borrowed ones from Dravidian. (See table)

The following are some examples for early literary usages of the words Kaal, Vaay and Vaayk-kaal, meaning a canal, irrigation channel, brook, branch of a river at the delta etc.

When the water is released from the sluice of the big tank, the stout-horned Vaa’lai fish (of the paddy fields) that comes in the irrigation canal from the opposite direction would run into the interior of the muddy paddy fields (Vaalai is the Scabbard Fish of the paddy fields)

From becoming the mountain (course), becoming the barren rocky (course), becoming the forest (course), becoming the River Kaviri, becoming the branching rivers (at the delta) and (finally) becoming the estuary (entering the sea)

The paddy field tract with full of watercourses and canals, making it difficult to traverse

“Ilangku ve’l aruviya a’rai vaay umpar” (Akanaanoo’ru 251:14)

“இலங்கு வெள் அருவிய அறை வாய் உம்பர்” (அகநானூறு 251:14)

Beyond the hill passage (coursed by) the magnificent whitish stream

“Pala pala vaayththalai aarththu ma’ndi” (Champanthar 1:5:5)

“பல பல வாய்த்தலை ஆர்த்து மண்டி” (சம்பந்தர் 1:5:5)

Coming in roar from many, many, channels and joining

* * *

Uvaayadi-vaaykkal is a place in the Puthukkudiyiruppu division of Mullaiththeevu district. The location of the place suggests that the Uvaay tree that marked the place name must be Salvadora persica. Another place name Uvaayadip-pa’n’nai in the Mannaar island is a clear reference to Salvadora persica.

* * *

Some related place names:

Uvaa/ Uvaay:

Uvaayadip-pa’n’nai: The farm in the locality of Uvaay trees; Mannaar Town division, Mannaar district

Uvasi-ku’lam: Probably, the tank in the locality of Uvaa trees; Madu division, Mannaar district